Prizes/awards for top scorers

[rpirrie]

Hello--
Somewhat whimsical yet serious question--
I am looking for suggestions as regards good prizes for the top 5 scorers. It always seems to be a college bumper sticker or pencil, or (the classic) important works of literature. I sincerely think these are perfectly fine, but at a tournament I just ran there was an audible groan when I picked up the copy of Wuthering Heights during the opening talk. I was thinking of puzzles, or getting some stuff from one of those companies out there that sell unusual novelties (I am thinking of one which sells finger puppets of Schrodinger's cat, Sigmund Freud action figures, etc.). Any other fun but serious ideas out there? What was your favorite top scorer award that you've seen? Thanks.

[Sniper, No Sniping!]

Can't go wrong with book prizes. If bratty quiz bowlers aren't appreciative of prizes, then that's their fault. As the TD, you aren't obligated by any means to buy prizes for them, but it's a great gesture nonetheless and I appreciate them regardless.

[Cheynem]

I once won a copy of Archie's Double Digest at a tournament.

One option might be to punch up the types of books bought as prizes--that is, you can't get too flexible with a budget, but I've always enjoyed picking up non-fiction or history books or even more genre novels like mysteries. Sometimes the same old suspects pop up too much at book prizes.

The novelty option sounds fun if your budget can afford it.

[setht]

What was your favorite top scorer award that you've seen?

A waffle iron. I think it was initially meant as a neg prize, but Selene or I grabbed it as a scoring prize.

Waffles are delicious.

-Seth

[rpirrie]

Seriously though, I spent $18 bucks on used copies of classics. I went online and found that for really not much more I could get some fun stuff like the aforementioned finger puppets. I like the idea of having some fun with this.

[Susan]

What was your favorite top scorer award that you've seen?

A waffle iron. I think it was initially meant as a neg prize, but Selene or I grabbed it as a scoring prize.

Waffles are delicious.

-Seth

You're welcome!

[Whiter Hydra]

From personal experience, I would be careful about giving novelty prizes, as then there's the desire to outdo what was done the previous year. We had that problem with the neg prize at TJ tournaments, with almost disastrous results.

On a more serious note, I don't see an issue with books. I highly doubt that many people play Quizbowl for fun and fabulous prizes, and to me the individual awards are more of a token of recognition than anything.

[ryanrosenberg]

We had that problem with the neg prize at TJ tournaments, with almost disastrous results.

"At one TJ tournament the neg prize was the Hampshire College ultimate frisbee team (nude) calender featuring one Evan Silberman. In retrospect that could have been a disaster." - Harry White

[Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant]

One option might be to punch up the types of books bought as prizes--that is, you can't get too flexible with a budget, but I've always enjoyed picking up non-fiction or history books or even more genre novels like mysteries. Sometimes the same old suspects pop up too much at book prizes.

Yeah, you don't have to restrict yourself to classic literature. I had a lot of fun picking out a variety of nonfiction used books for GT tournaments.

[The Stately Rhododendron]

I gave away The Power Broker to the top scorer last year. I don't know if anyone else thought it was funny, though.

[Cheynem]

Maaaaan, I'd love to win The Power Broker.

[Kouign Amann]

I gave away The Power Broker to the top scorer last year. I don't know if anyone else thought it was funny, though.

As the recipient, I'd rate the idea "slightly amusing." (Awesome book, though. It took me a few months, but I read it cover to cover. Keep on giving great prizes, dude.)

[Kyle]

In my freshman year of college, I was once the third leading scorer at a tournament at MIT. Second place got a broken toaster, but I got a pink, yellow, blue, and purple sombrero. Thereafter, whenever I directed a tournament, I compelled one of that year's crop of freshmen to wear the sombrero and stand outside the door to direct incoming teams. I think it's a bad idea to give away appliances that do not work, but a great idea to give away prizes which teams can use to facilitate the smooth running of future tournaments.

[Nine-Tenths Ideas]

If you have the budget, I would recommend giving a Cadillac Eldorado to the first leading scorer, a set of steak knives to the second leading scorer, and banning the third leading scorer from quizbowl for life.